Women of West: Tatiana Stepanek

In+my+middle+school+days+I+used+to+be+so+worried+about+what+other+people+thought+of+me.+That+always+stressed+me+out.+The+stress+gave+me+acne.+I+tried+dressing+like+everybody+else.+I+tried+doing+what+everybody+else+was+doing.+Once+I+got+to+high+school+around+my+junior+year%2C+though%2C+I+started+just+being+myself+and+not+caring+about+other+peoples+opinions+of+me%2C+and+that%E2%80%99s+when+I%E2%80%99ve+become+most+happiest.

Michael Davis

“In my middle school days I used to be so worried about what other people thought of me. That always stressed me out. The stress gave me acne. I tried dressing like everybody else. I tried doing what everybody else was doing. Once I got to high school around my junior year, though, I started just being myself and not caring about other people’s opinions of me, and that’s when I’ve become most happiest.”

Michael Davis, Features Editor

“I started caring about my appearance more. I started caring for my body more: skincare routines and hair routines. I started not putting my hair up everyday and damaging it. I just started caring about myself more because before I wouldn’t care about anything … I was so afraid of being left out.”

“Don’t worry about what other people think because in the end you’re there for yourself at the end of the day. Live life to the fullest and do what you like to do because if you worry about what other people think of you, then you won’t enjoy yourself. If you’re doing what you want to do and being who you want to be, you’ll have more fun living life.

-senior Tatiana Stepanek